WIGAN, England (AP) Dave Whelan has resigned as chairman of second-tier English soccer club Wigan after serving a six-week ban for racially-aggravated misconduct.

The 78-year-old Whelan was fined 50,000 pounds ($78,000), warned about his future conduct and ordered to undertake a mandatory education course after saying to The Guardian newspaper last year "I think Jewish people do chase money more than everybody else. I don't think that's offensive at all."

In a statement on Wigan's website, Whelan says "the time has now come to hand over the reins."